Modern HR, benefits, and payroll
Visit WebsiteThe Bottom Line
Entry price
Paid plans only
Biggest pro
Easy payroll
Biggest con
US only
TL;DR - Gusto
- Gusto is an all-in-one payroll and HR platform for small businesses
- It handles payroll, benefits, onboarding, and compliance with easy-to-use tools
- Offers paid tiers
What is Gusto?
Available on: Web
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Easy payroll
- Great onboarding
- Affordable
Cons
- US only
- Limited enterprise features
Ratings Across the Web
Gusto holds an aggregate rating of 4.6 out of 5 from 12,365 reviews across G2 and Capterra, last checked March 18, 2026.
Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more
Key Features
Pricing Plans
Pricing checked Aug 20, 2026
Simple
$49/month + $6/person
- Single-state payroll
- W-2s and 1099s
- Basic hiring and onboarding
- Employee self-service
Plus
$89/month + $13/person
- Multi-state payroll
- Time tracking
- Onboarding tools
- Custom reports
Premium
$199/month + $24/person
- All Plus features
- Dedicated success manager
- Priority support
- Certified HR experts
Is Gusto worth the price?
Gusto's pricing is generally fair, especially for small to medium-sized businesses.
The 'Simple' tier at $49/month + $6/person is competitive for basic payroll, while the 'Plus' tier at $89/month + $13/person offers good value for growing businesses needing time tracking and multi-state payroll. The 'Premium' tier at $199/month + $24/person is expensive but justified for larger companies requiring dedicated support and HR expertise.
Hidden Costs & Gotchas
Per-person fees add up quickly
Higher tiers have significantly higher per-person costs
No free trial to test features
Potential for additional HR add-ons
How Gusto Compares to Competitors
Compared to ADP Run, Gusto's 'Simple' tier is more affordable than ADP's basic plans which often start higher. However, for larger enterprises, ADP and Paychex offer more robust, albeit pricier, solutions. Gusto generally provides better value for SMBs than traditional payroll giants.
How Gusto's pricing compares
At $49/mo, Gusto is the most premium of its 4 direct competitors.
Entry paid plan, monthly. Pricing checked Aug 20, 2026.
Reviews
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Best Gusto Alternatives
Top alternatives based on features, pricing, and user needs.
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Global HR platform for distributed teams
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Comprehensive cloud HR and finance management for large enterprises
Still deciding?
Most buyers shortlist 2 or 3 tools before committing. Pull a side-by-side comparison or browse the full alternatives shortlist below.
Explore More
Gusto FAQ
How does Gusto simplify payroll for small businesses?
Which teams benefit most from using Gusto?
What kind of benefits administration does Gusto offer?
How does Gusto compare to Rippling for HR and payroll management?
Does Gusto include features for new employee onboarding?
What are the main limitations of Gusto?
How is Gusto priced?
Source: gusto.com